1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a method for manufacturing power semiconductor components with respective circuit structures at two exterior sides lying opposite one another, particularly bidirectional semiconductor switches.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The article by T. Ogura et al., "High frequency 6000 V double gate GTOs with buried gate structure", in Proceedings of 1990 International Symposium on Power Semiconductor devices & ICs, pages 252-255, describes a component structure wherein semiconductor ridges with doped regions and contacts are formed on two opposite exterior sides of a substrate in order to fashion a GTO thyristor. U.S. Pat. No. 5,608,237 discloses a bidirectional semiconductor switch wherein IGBT structures are formed at two opposite exterior sides of a substrate of semiconductor material. As a result of the additional control electrode, such a bidirectional IGBT enables the control of the emitter frequency, and a component with very good switching and transmission properties can be realized in this way. Bidirectional IGBTs can be advantageously utilized in converters (transformers) that are intended to process a sinusoidal mains current, with a low reactance, into the network with the possibility of a simultaneous resupply into the network. A matrix converter suitable for this purpose has nine bidirectional switches that can be replaced by eighteen symmetrically blocking IGBTs that are arranged in pairs, the two IGBTs in each pair being connected with opposite polarities. A simple realization of the components disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,608,237 offers considerable advantage in this context.